Winning

The more I work at this thing called life, I'm starting to realize the true importance of one's winning mindset.
Yeah "Mind Over Matter" is a cliche, but when it comes to some applications, nothing could be more true. I was going over some of the shots from my show, and I found one that particularly struck me.

When I look at this picture, my face and posture says a lot of things, but I think I'm definitely doing my best to project:
Cool.
Confident.
Composed.
Triumphant.
More specifically:
"Here is the package I've brought to the stage this day. It is what I've worked hard to achieve, and I am confident it is the best package I can bring. I will take this package and convince you too, that I am the best."

While this may sound arrogant, on the competitive stage, judges can smell that lack of confidence from a mile away, and it will ultimately deflate your stage presence, and consequently, your physique. I stated back in January that my first goal was to not make funny faces, but in reality, I aimed to exude the surety of self when on the stage.

I intend no disrespect to my fellow competitors, but to emphasize my point I think it is important to draw a contrast to the others. The guy to my right (teal trunks) looks to be strained, confused, and doubtful of himself. The guy to my left (black trunks) looks rather menacing, and again strained (friends say he looked like the Leprechaun.) The competitor to my far left just looks like he smells something bad.

I'm convinced it's crucial to have the winning mindset in all things you pursue. I may never have a 20 inch arm, but when I go to the gym and do bicep curls, I squeeze and flex and picture that arm growing to Olympian status. When John hit a weight plateau during our prep, I advised him to literally picture the keebler elves in his body fueling his cardio sessions by shoveling his fat into a furnace. See it. Be it. Plateau shattered.
Jordan is quoted: I will become what I know I am.

This lesson extends beyond the stage: job interviews, dating, your career. When a person exudes confidence, people can't help but have good feelings about them. One may think "well I don't want to look/seem cocky." I'd rather have someone think I'm cocky than to look less than 100% confident in my pursuits ( if they've judged me so quickly, I likely don't care to know them anyway.)

In the first few weeks of "getting to know" Carrie, I told her straight up, "One day, you'll love me." She thought I was joking, but I knew, that what I brought to the table she would not want to pass up.
Death Cab wrote about it: I Will Possess Your Heart.


How can you sell yourself to the judges, a potential employer or a potential mate if you don't even look like you're buying it?

Be sure.
Be confident.
Work hard.
Win easy.